Test plug



Feb. 25 1941. E. D. PATTERSON TEST PLUG Filed March 11, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 25, 1941. PATTERSON 2,233,223

TEST PLUG Filed March 11, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 25, 1941 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I TEST PLUG; I

Elam D. Patterson, vCoshocton, Ohio, assignor to James B. Glow & Sons, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application March 11, 1938, Serial No. 195,249

2 Claims. (01. 220-25) This invention relates to a test plug, more ring adapted to co-operate with the first-menspecifically to a test plug for closing ends of tioned member is also capable of being inserted conduits, pipes, cylinders, and the like, and has into the open end of the pipe. For convenience. for one object the provision of a test plug suitthese two rings or discs may be referred to as 5 able for closing the ends of conduits, even though the lower and upper pressure members, 5 the latter are truly cylindrical, and which will although it is, of course, realized that the conduit withstand high pressures. in which the plug is placed usually extends hori- It is often desirable to test pipe lines, water zontally and that these terms are not, therefore, mains, sprinkling systems, gas lines, and the like, strictly accurate at pressures somewhat higher than that to which A sealing element is interposed between the 10 such systems will be subjected under normal said two members. The sealing element is capaoperating conditions. In making such tests, it ble of firmly engaging the side Walls of the pipe becomes necessary to seal the ends of large pipes when the closure member and the pressure memor conduits which are not threaded and conseher are secured tightly together. The two upper quently not adaptable for the insertion of the and lower members are secured together and 15- ordinary screw type plug. On the other hand, held in place within the end of the pipe by means some type of plug is desirable that will be capable of a suitable latch which engages the inner walls of withstanding high pressures. Several types of of the pipe in a manner such that the test plug test plugs have been previously suggested, but is held firmly therein.

they have been unwieldy and, for the most part, For a more complete understanding of this 20 difficult to attach and to remove from the open invention, it is desirable to give a detailed descripend of the pipe in the system to be tested. tion of a specific embodiment thereof. It is to Accordingly, among the objects of this invenbe observed, however, that the example given is tion is the provision of asimplified test plug merely for illustrative purposes and the invention which may be readily installed and removed is not to be limited thereby. 25 from the open end of a pipe; for instance, a Referring now to Fig. 1, the test plug comtest plug which may be readily installed in the prises a disc-like closure member ll adapted to open end of an unthreaded pipe or of plain cylinbe co-operatively associated with a similarly ders (true cylinders) and wherewith it is not shaped. pressure member l2. A sealing element necessary to embrace the outer edges of the ends I3 is positioned between the lips of members 30 of the pipe. I l and I2. A plurality of latches l4 and a means, Further and additional objects of this invention or means, such as a bolt, or bolts, l5 are co-' will appear from the following description, in operatively movable to cause the latches to enwhich: gage the inner walls of a bell pipe I6 or under Figure l is an elevational view, partially in the lip ll of the lead groove 18 of the pipe. 5 section, of one form of the invention as it appears The sealing element I3 is preferably a gasket just after it has been inserted loosely into the of some resilient material such as rubber which open end of an ordinary bell pipe; is interposable between the closure member ll Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but wherein and the pressure member l2 and adapted firmly 40 the plug is shown as securely fastened into the to engage the side walls of pipe it when a force 40 end of the pipe (with the resultant pressure sealis exerted pressing the closure member H and ing of said pipe); pressure member I2 tightly together, i. e., raising Fig. 3 is the top view of the test plug and pipe the lower member ll up against the upper end of Fig. 1; member l2. A shoulder I9 is provided on the Fig. 4 is aperspective view of one form of latch pressure member l2 to compress and push the 45 used in the test plug of the invention; and sealing element I3 outwardly against the inside Fig. 5 shows a construction whereby the test wall of pipe I6. This shoulder effectively preplug of this invention may be used in an open vents the gasket from expanding inwardly as cylinder or a pipe which is not provided with a compressive force is exerted between closure lead groove or lip under which the latch may member II and pressure member l2.

engage, i. e., a truly cylindrical pipe or conduit. Bolt I5 is threadedly secured to closure member The test plug of this invention comprises a H and passes through the latch M in such manpressure disc or closure member which may be ner that nut 20 thereon bears against the upper inserted into the open end of a bell pipe or part of said latch to draw said member ll upcylinder. Another pressure member or pressure ward, when said nut is tightened, against the V55 pressure member I2 (see Fig. 2). This forces pressure member I2 and the closure member ll together, thereby firmly pressing sealing member l3 outwardly against the sides of pipe l6 (see Fig. 2). The bolt l5 engages latch M by passing through an opening within latch I4, which opening is so constructed that the latch l4 may rotate to a limited extent on its apex 2| in the same plane as the long axis of bolt IS. The apex 2| preferably rests in a suitable groove or against a suitable shoulder 22 in pressure member 12 in order that the latch l4 may be progressively more firmly engaged between the lip l1 and the pressure member 12 as the nut 20 is tightened.

The latch 14 may be of any desired shape, but in the preferred embodiment of this invention it is shown as wingor wedge-shaped (Fig. 4) The length of the side of the wing extending from the apex 2| to the conduit-engaging portion 23 is preferably greater than the length of the opposite side. Consequently, when the latch I4 is engaged with the side walls ofpipe 16, it will be locked in place by tightening nut 20. As is shown in Fig. 2, when the testp-lug is tightened down by the nuts 23, the sealing element i3 is firmly pressed against the side walls of pipe 16, and the latches Hi are engaged with the lead groove I8 in bell pipe I 6, thus preventing the test plug from being forced out even when considerable pressure exists in a conduit system to which the bell pipe may be connected.

The shoulder 22 on pressure member I 2 is preferably formed, when viewed in plan (see Fig. 3), with as many sides as there are bolts; in the illustrated form, there being three bolts, it has a triangular contour. Contact of the full width of apex 2! of latch 44 with the shoulder 22 is thus provided.

Fig. 5 shows a variation of the construction. of a latch to be used as taught by this invention and which comprises a suitable edged steel insert 24 which may be fastened in any desirable manner to the latch M. A latch of this construction is useful for enabling one to insert the test plug into an open cylinder or pipe which does not embody a suitable groove l8 in pipe I6 for engaging the latches as shown in Fig. 1.

The plug of. Fig. 5 is installed similarly to that shown in Figs. 1 and.2; the steel inserts 24 in the Wedges bite into the inside of the pipe, thereby to form fixed abutments co-operating with the bolts 85 and nuts 20 to draw the member I I up against the member IZ'and seal the end of the conduit; in short, the inserts subserve the same function with respect to the wedges as does the estates lip of the lead groove in the pipe of Figs. 1 and 2.

The closure member H may, in either case, if

such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention as defined by the ap pended claims.

I claim:

1. A test plug for conduits and the like having a circumferentially extending lip positioned on the inside surface walls thereof, said plug comprising a closure member, a pressure member, a sealing means between said members, a substantially Wing-shaped latch positioned in the plane of the diameter ofa conduit, the apex of said latch adaptedto engage a jcentralportion of said pressure member in pivotal relationship and one of the opposite corners or edges of said latch adapted to engage the inner side walls of the conduit under said lip, and an adjustable means extending through said latch and co-operating with said latch and said closure member to lock said latch to retainsaid plug and simultaneously compress said sealing member.

2. ;A test plug for conduits or the like comprising a closuremember, a. pressure member'adjacent said closure member, sealing means between said members, a plurality of wing shaped latches having slots extendingtherethrough, means .car-

ried by said closure member andextending,

through saidpressure member and said slots for positioning said latches in planes substantially at right angles to said members with the apex of each latch engaging said pressure member, said latches being so positioned that an opposite edge or corner of ;each;latch is adapted to engage the inside walls of the conduit, and means including said positioning means for individually exerting forces on each latch to cause said latch to rotate about its apex'in a plane extending radially of the conduit and wedge between said pressure member and said conduit, said last mentioned means upon individual operation to rotate said latches being adapted to exert individual forces on said pressure member to cause said sealing member to engage the walls of said conduit in sealing relation.

ELAM D. PATTERSON. 

